Changed
by Kagome Freak
Summary: Kagome has been hurt badly by a certain someone who causes her to change dramatically, but can the one that hurt her end up helping her? AU
1. Prologue

Hey guys! I'm trying something different with this story. It has somewhat of a darker theme, but it's not lemon, it's just more _emotional _I guess… lol. I tried this out on my friends first and they liked it, so we'll see how it goes. Enjoy.

P.S. Future chapter will be much longer,

Disclaimer: No…not yet, but just wait, just wait! Inuyasha will be mine! muahahaha

_**Prologue**_

This is it, she thought to her self. This is your chance to change and let go, and become something new and different. She sighed, there's no going back now. She threw her closet doors open and practically started to rip all out her clothing out of their hangers in her closet. Everything that reminded her of _him_ and the weakness she had allowed him to see had to go. She didn't want to bear those memories anymore, she wanted all the time they spend together, to just be gone and with a magical '_poof' _forever from her life. Alas, there is little she could do about her memories but what she could and would do is control the effect they had on her.

She didn't want to be that pushover lowlife who fell for whoever spared a second glace her way. No, things would be different this time, she decided. It was time for her to stop being so damn naïve all the time and see people for who they were. Bastards. And start seeing what love really is. Bullshit. Yes, she thought, nothing but a waste of time and energy. Oh so precious time. How little left she had of it. Seems like only yesterday she fell in love. And seems like that very same day, fell right out of it. But unlike most people, there was no one to break her fall.

Oh how cruelly she fell. All the heartache and denial, that it wasn't true. All the hoping that he would change. Spending her nights and days like an empty, hollow shell, without anyone to notice or care. All the waiting and crying until tears wouldn't come anymore, and nothing but emptiness surrounded her. Emptiness. Over the months it had become the one thing she had relied on to always be there. To claim her heart with sweet darkness and to give her the escape that she longed for throughout the day and the vacant, cold nights.

It felt as though she had aged years and lost her innocence that she would never be able to get back, in a blink of an eye. It was then that her once, loving and trusting persona crumbled into a thousand little pieces. And it was then that she had built an ice wall around her broken heart, in hopes of being spared of pain again.

She was starting over, and would not tolerate anyone who would get in her way. Changing her looks and clothes was only a small part of her plan. Her sweet, open, playful, girl-next-door persona would be replaced with something mysterious and dangerous. She was through with being nice. From now on she would take risks and chances, because her only goal this year was to have no regrets. And she wouldn't.

A/N: So what did ya think? Please review!


	2. Chapter 1

AN/ Hey, hey hey!!! I want to give a special thanks to sango mumbo bum for being my first official reviewer! YAY! Ok, now I will post the second chappie soon, very soon, since I've already written it. As I've said before these few chapters will be short because I need to get the basic background information across first, and then all the juicy stuff will happen later and it will be in pretty long chappies! YAY! Alrighty then, here's the first chapter. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: You don't have to rub it in…I don't own anything….

_**Chapter 1**_

"Ok, now could I have Goro Watanabe, Kazuki Ito, Yuka Obayashi, Arisu Saito, and Kagome Higurashi come up to the stage please?" My name. She said my name. Kagome Higurashi. My heart skipped a beat. Swallowing the lump that was forming in my throat, I slowly stood up from my chair, with my script in hand. Trying to squeeze through the small space between the theater chairs, my friend gave me an encouraging smile. I smiled back what I hoped was a confident smile, and squared my shoulders. I slowly began walking up the stairs to the stage.

I took my place by a girl I never saw before. I could feel her eyes on me, looking up and down my body, as if to measure me up. Usually that would have made me nervous but I was a changed person.

I bravely turned her way, catching her by surprise. She gave me a strained smile and offered me her hand. "I'm Yura!" she said, a little too cheery for my taste. I looked down at her outstretched hand with disproval written all over my face, and knew that Yuka saw it too, but her smile never wavered. I reluctantly shook her hand. "I'm Kagome!" I said with fake cheeriness, mimicking her. She and I both knew my dislike for her, but neither said anything. Dropping her hand with out a second thought, I turned my attention to the teacher who was assigning roles.

I knew that Yura's smile was far from sincere; it was just another act to get people to trust you and then stab them in the back. But I have learned my lesson well, and didn't fall for same tricks twice.

"…will play Goro, and why don't you Kagome try the part of Hiraku. OK, now please take your places." Finished the teacher, She put her glasses down on the worn out desk, and leaned forward, her attention now completely on us.

I took a nervous step forward and then mentally scorned at myself for acting like that. The new me didn't get nervous, I wasn't that shy girl anymore. I took another more confident step towards the middle of the stage, now feeling the hot theater lights burning down my body, blinding me. I took a deep, shaky breath, in hopes of settling the nervous butterflies in my stomach. It did little to help, but I stubbornly tried to ignore it. In my head I tried to play out how I would read Hiraku's part, hoping to really impress the teacher. When my turn came to speak I was glad my voice didn't shake, but instead was nice and loud. Before I knew it I began to relax and just like that it was over. Taking a bow, I hoped with all my heart and mind that I would get in.

A/N: I hoped you guys liked this. I can't wait to hear your opinion on this so please review!


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own anything…But mark my words, I will!

_**Chapter 2**_

I stared at her. I stared at her with nothing but envy. "I got in!" she had said earlier. I plastered a smile on my face, and faked cheeriness. "Oh my god! That's great! Good job!" She laughed; her eyes gleamed with joy and pride. "Thanks! You should totally go check if you got in, because I just stopped looking as soon as I saw my name, that's all that mattered at the time." She laughed at herself. I envied that. I envied how she could be so light hearted about things. I envied how naïve and innocent she was towards life. I envied how the simplest things made her smile, while I hadn't smiled a real smile in over three months. I felt something deep inside me stir. I knew that feeling. I knew that feeling well by now; it was bitterness. Oh how I hated it, but I couldn't help myself. She had something that I had lost and something that I will never be able to get back. All because of _him._ I felt a wave of anger rise through my body. Anger at him and most importantly anger at myself. I hated how I let him see me vulnerable, broken, and totally and completely exposed.

I let him see a side of me that I've never showed anyone else, my self included. I gave him the part of me so sheer and pure, that I wasn't even sure myself that it was real. And he tainted it. I felt another wave of anger. How could he do that? Better question, how could I _let _him do that?

I felt bitter all over again. It was my fault for trusting him. For having hope in something that just wasn't there. For giving him a part of my heart and soul without a second thought, thinking that if anything happened, he would help pick up the pieces.

A dry chuckle escaped my lips. Oh how wrong I was. I couldn't have been anymore wrong if I tried. Tears of regret started to fill up my eyes and blur my vision. I stubbornly blinked them away.

No, I thought, I will _not _show weakness, not now. Not when I worked so hard to be where I was right now: strong, independent, and almost uncaring. No, I thought, he was just some long last chapter of my life that I didn't care anything about; at least that's how I'd like to think of it.

All those feelings of regret, sadness, pain and love that I felt for him started to surface once again. It confused and angered me. Wasn't he supposed to disappear from my mind and heart the moment that he betrayed me? Deep down I knew that it was never going to be that easy, yet I couldn't help but hope that maybe, just maybe, it would.

I tried to shake off all the feelings that started to emerge from the deep hole that I buried them in. I tried to ignore all the pain, and instead I tried to focus on my anger and let it consume me whole. I felt it spread throughout my body and fuel me up to not give up, and go on. To prove that he doesn't rule my life or have any effect on me. I welcomed the passionate rage and with all my heart I prayed to God, to not let me lose my anger, for without it I am nothing. If I lose my fury then I will lose the game, and that will leave me once again, stripped down and empty.

Eri was still talking, and now she looked at me expectedly, waiting for an answer. I mentally shook all those thoughts away, and tried to focus all of my attention on her. "I'm sorry," I said, "What did you say?"

"Day dreaming again, Kagome?" she said teasingly. I gave her a strained smile. "Sort of," I replied, trying to sound as light hearted as I could. She just chuckled, finding it cute.

"What I said was, do you know how you did?"

"Oh…, well no," I said somewhat unsure. "I mean, I didn't look yet."

"Well then go look!" she said excitingly, grabbing me by the shoulders. "Come one, come on!" she pushed me in the direction of the door.

"I will, I will, you don't have to be so pushy." I forced a laugh, "But class is about to start."

She gave me a look that clearly said, "So what? Who cares?" I raked my brain for an excuse. "You how touchy lately my mom is about my grades, and I'm like totally failing this stupid class, so I have to be here." She looked at me uncertainly. "My second period is in that direction, I'll look then, I promise."

She still didn't look convinced, but let it go. "Ok well then, I guess I better go too." I resisted the urge to let out a grateful sigh. "See ya later." She said, walking away.

"Yeah, see ya."

"Tell me if you got in!" she called over her shoulder.

"Uha!"

I closed my eyes, and took in a deep, shaky breath. So close, so damn close. Truth was I already looked, and I didn't get in. I earlier rummaged my brain for reasons of why I didn't get it. I replayed that day over and over in my head, and considered everything, and still didn't understand why I didn't get in.

I swung by backpack over my left shoulder, and started walking toward my class, deep in thought. I did my best at the tryouts, and now I have come accepting of the idea that I didn't get in. The last step was to let it go and move on. But…I just couldn't. I still did not understand why I didn't get in. I _know_ I was better than most people who got in, much better. Yet, it will be them that will be on _my_ stage drinking up what was supposed to be _my _triumph and glory.

Hatred started to cloud my thinking. I hated all off them, because no one was as deserving and as worthy as me for the part. No one! I clenched my fists, and narrowed my eyes. Oh, I would get over it alright, I thought but I would never, _ever _let it go.

Still deep in thought I didn't notice _him_, and we almost crashed into each other. I lost my balance, and fell, my books scattered everywhere. I looked up, and he was standing there, looking as confident as ever, while I was at his feet, on the floor, kneeling. This brought memories I'd rather not remember. I quickly started to gather my stuff, avoiding his eyes. Not that it mattered, he wasn't even looking my way! The jerk!

He just stood there, talking to his buddies, not sparing me a glance while here I was on the floor, and it was partially his fault, and he didn't even _try _to help! The nerve of the guy! I don't even know what I saw in him in the first place!

Standing up with my stuff in hand, I gave him the coldest glare I could master. He was avoiding my gaze, I knew, but he would still be able to feel my eyes on him, burning a hole on the back of his head, making him uncomfortable in his own skin. Good. He deserved to suffer.

I squared my shoulders and lifted my head in a confident manner, to show him that I was a changed person and was not afraid of him. I felt his eyes on me. So he noticed… Excellent. As I walked away I felt his burning gaze on me the whole time. So he was intrigued…Even better.

I smirked, this could be fun.

A/N: Told ya I would update soon, lol. I couldn't help myself! Finally something is starting to happen, so this should be interesting. Please review I would love to see what you guys think!


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